Heavenly Dao Child

True-Spear frowned as he leaned back on his seat as he looked up towards the ceiling with a scowl on his face, he had just learned many things from Ryuu and with each thing the mystery only deepened but one thing was certain Ryuu was related to the entire thing for some unknown reason, reason that they all decided to help him find out but they knew not how, and as such it was the source of their current headache.

'How do we proceed with something that we do not know where to begin.'

He then looked around the room and saw that similar to him everyone had a deep frown on their face trying to discern Ryuu's words, when all of a sudden Ryuu spoke with a sigh, "We will gain nothing unless we find more clues, and I think we should simply focus on searching and trying to find treasures."

Frost Flames looked at him with a sad look on her face while Ryuu squeezed her hands with a soft smile of his own, before she spoke with a nod, "I agree with him we should act as natural as possible so that others might not stumble upon this accidentally."

Frozen Ocean gave a curt nod as she spoke, "That also means we have to work fast gather as many clues as necessary without them falling into the hands of the others and making them ask too many questions."

Amnon nodded in agreement and so did his wife Daniella, who spoke with a sigh, "Then I think destroying the painting is the correct way to go, shame it was such a nice one too."

Ryuu looked at painting with narrowed eyes as he spoke, "I think I should try to remove it and keep it with me, if by some chance I failed to find out here at least maybe I can inquire outside of Eden, it may take ages but maybe one day I can find some answers."

Everyone simply shrugged at that as Zywia spoke, "If you think that it is the best course of action feel free to though please do not clamp up and keep secret we are all in this together and we would work together to return home safe and victorious."

Everyone smiled at her suggestion while True-Spear looked oddly proud, everyone except Ryuu who was oddly silent before he spoke with a sigh, "I think there is also something that I should inform you all."

Everyone gave undivided attention to him as Ryuu spoke slowly, "This is a very important secret, a secret that I did not wish to divulge to anyone and keep it within me, and it would have been if Zywia and Frost Flames had not to stumble upon it accidentally.

True-Spear looked directly into his eyes as he spoke, "I do not know about others but I will safely say that I will keep your secret and will not divulge anything that you say if you wish I can even take an Oath with Heaven's as my witness not to divulge anything."

Ryuu quickly raised his hand as he spoke, "Please brother True-Spear you do not need to take any oath just your conviction and your word is enough for me."

True-Spear simply gave a respectful nod as Zywia spoke with a worried tone, "Ryuu is taking a big risk by telling us this so please I ask of you all to not reveal it."

Amon gave a small to her as he spoke, "He is our very good friend so rest assured no matter what our lips are sealed."

Ryuu took a deep breath as he tried for proper words to begin, while Frost Flames looked more and more worried with passing second when Ryuu finally began to speak, "You all remember the events of the second floor especially with the poisonous creature right?"

As everyone except Frozen Ocean and Zywia nodded Su-Min suddenly became deathly pale as she spoke with fear in his voice, "Please Ryuu do not tell me you are having a problem with the poison."

Ryuu grimaced at that as he replied with a nod, "Yes it is about the poison…"

Whatever he was going to say was stopped by Su-Min who bowed lowly as she began to speak, "I am so sorry because of me you got poisoned that day, I was supposed to die but you saved my life and you are…"

"Su-Min Stop! Just stop it there is no need for you to apologize for something in the past."

"But…"

"But nothing Sister Su-Min please let me hear what Ryuu was about to say.", Frost Flames all but pleaded to Su-Min to stop speaking making the guilt in Ryuu to choke him.

Ryuu winced at the broken look on Frost Flames face making him hesitate for a moment before he spoke, "That day I told you all that I had managed to completely seal up the poison.", he paused for a moment as he received weak nods from a few before he dropped the truth, "I lied."

Ryuu was startled as he hugged hard by a sobbing Frost Flames as stunned silence descended in the room as True-Spear felt his throat to dry up, Frost Flames was the closest thing to a family, a sister to him and hearing that the person whom she had taken interest on, a person that would keep her happy in such a situation made him feel numb as such he could not help but ask out loud trying to desperately hold onto the straws, "Please explain what has happened."

Zywia gained a saddened look on her face as she spoke, "What is there to explain, despite his best efforts he had managed to stall the effect of the poison not seal it up completely."

"It is as Zywia had said even with the best of my knowledge I was only able to stall it not completely seal it as such most of my powers goes to suppress it, though sometimes I have to suffer occasional attacks because of it."

Amnon frowned as he spoke, "Is that why sometimes you go missing for a period of times."

Ryuu nodded at his question as he spoke, "Yes brother Amnon that is the reason I go missing from time to time, it was during the first battle in the third level when I had an attack and it was when Sister Zywia and Frozen Ocean found me."

"Sister Zywia and I decided to keep quiet about the matter, as we were unsure whom to trust especially so when we learn about the absurd bounty on his head."

True-Spear narrowed his eyes his mind swirling with deep thoughts as he spoke, "Is there a specific timing or trigger of the attacks?"

Ryuu shook his head as he spoke, "No there is none, it can happen anytime though every time I am forced to fight harder the attacks happen immediately."

True-Spear looked startled at that as he spoke, "There have been many fights you have to go all out, do not tell me it happened every time after that."

Ryuu shook his head as he spoke, "No you are mistaken I have never gone all out as it was never required of me, but yes it soon followed after as such if you try to remember after most of my fights I tend to vanish."

True-Spear pursed his lips before he spoke, "How long? How long do you have to live?"

Ryuu winced as he spoke, "Dear please lose you grip a bit you are hurting me."

A small mumbling of 'No' came to everyone's ears as it seemed to lighten the mood seeing especially the desperate look Ryuu portrayed on his face while trying to pry Frost Flames off of him.

A futile attempt later Ryuu began to speak again, "It is a bit complicated, more like a tug of war kind the more I can push it back the more I get to live, at first I had only four years but slowly I managed to increase and at present, I have another four years more to live, that means two years short of getting help."

"But you manage to gain control right, so there is nothing to fear right?"

Seeing the hopeful look on Frost Flames face was like having his heart pierced by an arrow as such he swallowed hard before he spoke, "It is not that simple, I do not know if I will be able to push back again next time, it is really on luck it may or may not happen or it simply might deteriorate I do not know, it might be that one the day I will die I will be able to push back or it might just happen tomorrow I do not know, it might also flare up instead of getting subdued as such I do not know what might happen."

An uncomfortable silence descended amongst them for a moment before Ryuu spoke with a small smile, "Frost there is no need for you to feel sad, and even if things may sound bad I am working on it, and as long as I can leave this place I know that my teacher can save me.", he paused for a moment before he spoke with a big smile on his face, "Now enough of this sad and depressing things, why don't we meet up with others and see if we can find something."

Seeing Frost Flames still in a depressed state he lifted her head as he gave her a chaste kiss as he spoke, "I have never broken any promise and my word is absolute, there is no need for you to fear dear we all will safely return home."

Zywia gave a small smile at his words as she spoke, "That is true if anyone who can cure him that his teacher, and I know Ryuu he is too stubborn to die from silly little poison he will surely survive now let us follow his suggestion and meet up with others, who knows what they are doing."

True-Spear nodded as he stood up and one by one they moved towards the entrance except the duo, Ryuu placed his chin on top of Frost Flames head as he spoke, "Love there is no need to fear we will survive and return victorious, now wipe your tears we have to return to others as well I will have to remove the painting of the most handsome person.", Frost Flames looked up with red eyes and a small smile on her face as she slapped his shoulder playfully before letting him go.

A few minutes later an annoyed Ryuu stood in front of the painting that had started the entire fiasco, the painting was stuck to the wall using such complicated array that he could make no head or tail about it, even his group was getting bored having to wait for such a long time when suddenly Ryuu gave an exclamation of joy, "I got it, such an easy solution.", he then turned towards them as he spoke with an embarrassed smile on his face, "Well I have already worked it out though you might have some unwanted reaction if you look at it while I work safety precautions and what not so I have to ask you all to either turn back and leave the room, please preferably leave the room."

Su-Min scowled as she spoke, "I am not leaving you with something dangerous no matter what you say they best you are getting is me turning my back while you do your work.", and seeing the rest in agreement with her Ryuu could only grumble.

The next few minutes were spent with sounds of sizzling and banging making everyone tense, they had all promised him that they would not look back and it was getting difficult to keep it, because of their curious nature and then all of a sudden the sound stopped as happy voice of Ryuu came to their ears, "I have stored the picture in my space ring we can leave now."

The others turned and were greeted with a happy and satisfied smile on Ryuu, which they wholeheartedly returned for a brief moment before it froze and they deadpanned as Zywia spoke as he brow twitched in annoyance, "Are you kidding me? You removed the entire wall with the picture this was your solution."

Ryuu only pouted as he spoke, "Hey it blame the person who placed the array on the picture it was annoying to get rid of."